Service Learning Initiative: India Trip : Center for Social Innovation (CSI)

Design, delivery, and scaling of health care services

Winter break

Trip Description
From Past Trips

This trip will give you an intimate look at how India is delivering health care to its rapidly growing population, including 456 million people (41%) living below the world poverty line. Explore how poverty has spurred incredible innovation in health care—but also look at how a lack of resources has hampered the widespread implementation of these unique solutions.

From Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad to the rural village of Jamkhed, examine the contributions and debate the responsibilities of the government, non-profit and private companies in delivering health care to the nation.

Please note: this trip will not be offered for credit toward the Service Learning Initiative in 2011-2012. To find out more about the India Trip, however, please contact the Public Management Program.

Trip highlights

Meetings with the National Health Ministry, Piramal Pharma, and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the nation’s most prestigious hospital and medical research institute
A visit with portfolio companies of Acumen Fund India to learn about entrepreneurial approaches to solving global poverty
Interaction with Public Health Foundation of India, a public private partnership that offers patients both preventive and therapeutic services
A chance to learn from nonprofit organizations that have pioneered effective community-based approaches to health and development
Exploration of the cultural, social, and economic landscape of India’s cities and countryside

What did we learn during past trips?

[image - service learning trip to India]

December 2009

The third annual Service Learning Trip to India introduced students to a spectrum of innovators and leaders dedicated to health service provision in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Highlights included exposure to Acumen Fund India’s health portfolio in Mumbai, village tours and interaction with community health workers trained and supported by Comprehensive Rural health Project in Jamkhed, and visits with doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. The group was advised by Jesper Sørensen, Professor of Organizational Behavior.

December 2008

In year two of our trip to India, students met with innovators and leaders dedicated to health service provision in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. The group was advised by Alan Sorensen, Associate Professor of Economics and Strategic Management, focusing on applied microeconomics. Highlights included a case study with Medicine Shoppe about the company’s expansion into Mumbai’s urban poorest areas and the visit to the rural Maharashtra town of Jamkhed to meet with Comprehensive Rural Health Project. Students provided service through business consulting and interviews that will be used for organizational communications and fundraising.

[video - service learning trip to India]

December 2007

The 2007 trip provided a deep look into the fundamental role that improving health care plays in breaking the cycle of poverty. Students were accompanied by Harikesk Nair, Associate Professor of Marketing. Nair's research focuses on dynamic decision contexts, network effects, diffusion of technologies, and empirical industrial organization, especially as applied to the marketing of high-technology and entertainment goods.

Learning about India’s rural health issues

Center for Social Innovation

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